1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lever-action rifles. More particularly, the present invention concerns a rifle mechanism that incorporates several of the design and functional features of well-known tactical rifles, such as the AR-15 semi-automatic auto-loading firearm, but rather than having a semi-automatic cartridge handling mechanism, incorporates a lever-action mechanism permitting manually actuated cartridge loading, firing and cartridge case extraction and ejection. More particularly, the present invention concerns a rather short or compact, manually operated lever-action rifle that can be easily handled during field conditions to provide enjoyable shooting for a wide range of users. This invention also concerns rifles and other firearms that are of modular construction, facilitating matching of upper receivers having various calibers of barrels to a lower receiver mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Lever-action rifles have been manufactured and sold since the 1800s and have been popular for many years. Such rifles and are currently being manufactured and widely sold by Winchester Repeating Arms, 275 Winchester Avenue, Morgan Utah 84050, Sturm Ruger & Co., Savage Arms, Inc. of Westfield Mass., the O. F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. of North Haven Mass. and the Marlin Firearms Company, formerly of North Haven, Conn. and now owned by Remington. Lever action firearms are manufactured and sold by a number of other firearms manufacturers in the United States and elsewhere.